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Wand/Pitts

infantrycak

infantrycak

Hall of Fame
610 am just announced that at the coaching session, Seth Wand has been working out at LT with Chester Pitts at LG. Guess we will have to wait to training camp to see if this looks like just evaluation or they are really impressed enough with Wand to go with the move.
 
I just heard it too. Hopefully Wand can keep the spot. We would have a tremdous line because Pitts would make a sensational Guard. Keep in mind that we don't have to help RT this year for the first time. We can put a TE or chip with a FB to help Wand. I hope he can hold the spot down. This would be very exciting.
 
That would be great news IMO. Nothing against Pitts but I think he is marginal as a pass-blocker at LT. I think he could eventually go to the Pro Bowl at LG through.

That does beg the question though. If Wand or Wade gets injured is Pitts the #3 OT? Would he move outside and let one of the younger guys take over at LG in that situation? Or is he merely the LT sub and Wiegert is the RT sub (he can play both also). Inquiring minds want to know.
 
TheOgre said:
If Wand or Wade gets injured is Pitts the #3 OT?
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Sure, Pitts would slide outside and Milford Brown, Weary or Washington could play LG. Pitts has 32 NFL starts at LT. If Wand can hold this job, he blows my "3-year project" theory. It's one Einstein moment I wouldn't mind having however.
 
That will be GREAT if Wand is able to handle it. He must be showing some pretty decent improvement or they are just trying to see how much he has improved. Seems to be about a year early, but super if he can carry it off without getting David killed.
 
edo783 said:
That will be GREAT if Wand is able to handle it. He must be showing some pretty decent improvement or they are just trying to see how much he has improved. Seems to be about a year early, but super if he can carry it off without getting David killed.
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Pitts never got the help he needed because we always had a journeyman at RT. This is the first year we have a top caliber NFL RT on our line. All our help can go over to Wand's side during pass protection.

I also agree that this may be a tempory thing however...so keep that in mind.
 
If Wand ends up being the talent at LT that we expected him to be then our o-line would be dominant. Pitts at LG would be crutial this guy was an average LT but has the size to be a dominant LG.
 
BuffSoldier said:
If Wand ends up being the talent at LT that we expected him to be then our o-line would be dominant. Pitts at LG would be crutial this guy was an average LT but has the size to be a dominant LG.
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Exactly but this also gives us something that we've never had on the ol quality Dept. which is going to put our running game on steroids
 
Let's bare in mind this is simply a "coaching session". However, clearly they wouldn't be even trying him out at LT if he had not been making significant strides in the offseason. I think Pitts is a good run blocker, but a little below average pass blocker as a LT. In that spot, he got to see the best of the best from the pass rushing right ends. As a LG, I see him as well above average, maybe eventually pro-bowl calibur. I think he has great size and skills for that spot. I think that line would be a top 10 oline, IF, and I repeat, IF, Wand can do well in that spot so quickly. That remains to be seen, but as Vinny said, we can throw some help his way. Either way, I'm looking forward to this season. :popcorn: :jumpbanan :excited:
 
From ESPN

Minor makeover for offensive line
The Texans did a little tinkering with their starting offensive line on May 24, using second-year player Seth Wand at left tackle and moving Chester Pitts one spot to left guard. Coach Dom Capers stressed the move was experimental. "Nothing is etched in stone," he said as the second week of the four-week offseason coaching session began. Wand, taken in third round a year ago out of Northwest Missouri State, was considered a project as a rookie but excited coaches with his potential and his massive 6-foot-7, 327-pound frame. Later in the season he was often employed as a second tight end in run formations. Pitts has been the left tackle for every snap in the Texans' two-year history.

This was the plan from the begining. However it was supposed to Bos at Tackle and Pitts at Guard. When Bos left well Pitts had to hold down the fort until Wand is ready. :)
 
When you think about it, it's not all that unusual for them to be trying this now. Wand's been around for a year - so let's see what he can do. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get significant work there in camp and early preseason. Whether he can stick as the full time starter is another question. It's a good problem to have.
 
SteelBlue said:
Wand can hold this job, he blows my "3-year project" theory. It's one Einstein moment I wouldn't mind having however.
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Wand was very raw in the beginning. If he is ready to start now then Boselli wasn't exaggerating when he said he said, "Wand is picking things up fast". Either that or the Texans would rather he learn on the job this season rather than next. This seems like a transitional year with guys moving to new positions. Is it me or are the fingers now pointing at year 4 rather than year 5 as the completion of this building process?
 
Ok...I have to admit that I am having a tough time with this thread. Michael Irving said it best, "You there...take your big butt and hit that other guy with the big butt as hard as you can!" :idea: .
Doesn't matter who it is as long as the the QB isn't picking himself up off the turf and the RB isn't fighting a DL for the hand off.

:cool: ...and yes, I never played line...I just caught the ball from the pretty boy that the big uglies worked so hard to keep in clean uniform!
 
Pitts just sounded very upbeat about the change on the radio. He has a great attitude. He said that Capers asked him to make the switch today, and Pitts said he was willing to do what the coaches want.
 
How else are you going to know how a guy has progressed if you don't stick him in with the starters. It's a good evaluation spot to stick him in there during the coaching sessions in May, then when he comes back to camp in July you can see his progression from that starting point. I like Pitts' attitude.
 
Ok now that everybody is happy with the right attitude lets get serious. All Wand needs at this point is to get mean. I mean the few interviews he has done he has been soft spoken. He walks and plays with his shoulders down and hs is a little soft. The biggest improvement I'd like to see from him would be a mean streak. I know he was learing last year and he was bright eyed and bushy tailed last year so I won't hold that against him. Today I read that Wade and Walker were s*c*r*a*ping a little. Walker needs to slap Wand around a little and Wade needs to let him know that he has his back. Let Wand get POwd and lets see if he don't start throwing a few defensive lineman around. My new campaigin is to make Wand madd. I sit in the front row so I will call him ugly when he walks out onto the field. I will yell your mama jokes accross the field. yea yea thats it. uhh maybe going a little over board but I think you get my point. :soapbox:
 
I'm not sure you have to be a loudmouth to play well on the line. Many offensive linemen are quiet guys actually. For instance, Mike Munchack was very quiet and as tough as they come. I don't share your view of Wand either. He hasn't struck me as meek or soft.
 
Pitts was really improving at the LT position...but it would be great to see what he can do at LG! Hope this O-Line really comes together and stays healthy!
 
J-Man said:
Ok...I have to admit that I am having a tough time with this thread. Michael Irving said it best, "You there...take your big butt and hit that other guy with the big butt as hard as you can!" :idea: .
Doesn't matter who it is as long as the the QB isn't picking himself up off the turf and the RB isn't fighting a DL for the hand off.

:cool: ...and yes, I never played line...I just caught the ball from the pretty boy that the big uglies worked so hard to keep in clean uniform!
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I agree big time on this one.
 
Michael Irving said:
You there...take your big butt and hit that other guy with the big butt as hard as you can!
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PHAROAH said:
I agree big time on this one.
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Yes, Michael Irvin is one of the great football analysts of our generation. :bag:

I going to cut Mike some slack on that one. He very well could have been on crack when he was quoted.
 
J-Man said:
Michael Irving said it best, "You there...take your big butt and hit that other guy with the big butt as hard as you can!"
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Terrific. The crack head calls out to the guy who inevitably has twice the wunderlic score (although I confess I didn't bother to try and find out MI's), implying his work is easy ...

The only position that has wunderlic scores like OL is the QB.

Maybe it's not as easy as it looks.
 
I hope Wand gets the spot at LT. Even if he isn't completely ready, I still think he may get the starting position. Experience is generally the fastest way to learn. Besides, I would love to see Pitts at LG.
 
i have expected everyone of caper's players to have the right attitude about a position change no matter who or where they play...so pitts is being the player he should...good for him good for us...no winy babies on this team...and for wand...i agree with done88 all of our o-lineman could use a little more aggression in them...wade will hopefully spark a few of them up...we all knew walker knew how to get things done...personally i would like to see the overall team get a little more s****py...not to the point where they are throwing punches after plays...but being overall more aggressive...having payne's attitude toward playing...but this is good knews about wand if he can start at LT that will fill one hole we've been trying to fill for the past two years
 
The only way to really see if Wand's ready is to stick him in there and see how he does in camp and scrimmages. Wow, that would be cool to have such a huge young guy holding down that end of the line...but, it IS an experiment. I'll temper my excitement and plan on seeing Chester back there!
 
I read in the Chronicle that Capers said Wand earned it by grading high in the offseason and so far through mini camp. I think he will be ready by the end of preseason, remember he will be going against Smith amd Walker this Spring, not to mention Wong. My excitement is getting the better of me. I cant wait fir Spring Training.
 
This looks like Capers and crew are confident in Wand, and no doubt I'd like to see him be "that man" that puts it all together for us on the line - BUT I don't want him to be STARTING LT just for the experience - so he can get good enough to - well, uh, START. Pitts playing there was necessary because of T. Boseli - and the experience he has had on the line is going to pay off - whether he is at LT or LG. But Wand coming in there now, IF he isn't ready - just for experience - isn't necessary. SURELY, he must be ready, or we wouldn't have him in there at such an important position. He didn't look bad last year, and if he is READY - we are off and running. IF he isn't ready, and he's going in to "get ready" for the future - he will be the weak link on the line now. We can't afford to have the LT as the weak link. I guess I am impatient - the 5 year plan to me, looks like it could be a couple of years ahead of schedule - and I don't want to make moves now, for what we might have next year. HERE'S TO WAND BEING THE WALL ON THE LEFT SIDE AND GOING ON TO A HALL OF FAME CAREER BEGINNING THIS YEAR.
 
__V__ said:
Pitts just sounded very upbeat about the change on the radio. He has a great attitude. He said that Capers asked him to make the switch today, and Pitts said he was willing to do what the coaches want.
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Here's the quote by Pitts from The Chronic that has also been playing on local radio:
"(Coach Capers) approached me about the move and said he wanted to get a look at it and see how it panned out," Pitts said. "He said nothing was in cement yet. I play where they tell me to play. I'll take a job anywhere."

"Playing inside is a little quicker," Pitts said. "There's a little less margin for error. But you don't see guys that are as good of athletes. It has its pluses and minuses."
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Well, one minus is that LG's aren't paid as well as LT's. That Pitts didn't whine when moved indicates that he's a team player and in it for the long haul. Let's hope the Texans reward that loyalty with a contract extension after the season. I think they will.
 
As for Pitts, I visited with him in San Antonio, and was very impressed. He had a good wit, and was very upbeat and ready to make the team better.

I think you will most likely see Pitts play LT and LG this year. He will probably start at LT and in several series a game move to LG and Wand will get some experience at LT. If Wand continues to improve, by the end of the year he could have the starting role. :twocents:
 
J-Man said:
Ok...I have to admit that I am having a tough time with this thread. Michael Irving said it best, "You there...take your big butt and hit that other guy with the big butt as hard as you can!" :idea: .
Doesn't matter who it is as long as the the QB isn't picking himself up off the turf and the RB isn't fighting a DL for the hand off.

:cool: ...and yes, I never played line...I just caught the ball from the pretty boy that the big uglies worked so hard to keep in clean uniform!
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And yes, you never played on the line. You should have started and stopped with that statement.

After QB, the 5 OL positions are the most complicated. You have to know where everyone else is supposed to be and where they actually are on a given play.

LT has it extremely hard. You see a combination of extremely fast DE's that can run around you combined with guys that maul their way through you. If you are slow the fast guys burn you. If you lack the size, the bigger ones bull rush you. The DE's with multiple effective rushing techniques just own an average LT.

Based upon your statement you probably think you can take 5 starting linemen and plug them into any of the 5 starting slots. It amazes me that people are watching the same game as me, but only seeing a fraction of what is going on in a game.
 
LOL, I think a HOF career may be pushing it, but hey who knows :rofl:

They said on the radio this morning that Wand had gained 30 lbs of muscle so far this offseason, and as reported earlier, Capers said that Wand had a great week last week, and that at this point he was one of the 5 best lineman, and their goal is to put the 5 best guys out there as the starters.
 
30lbs of muscle? FANTASTIC, that was his weak point. Yes, pun intended. He was concidered soft particularly in the uper body last hear and as we all anticipated our strength department did their thing with him. This increase in muscle should translate into a stronger man at the point of attack. He did a pretty good job of run blocking last year and hopefully this will allow him to do even better this year. It should also help him with the bull rushers. Hopefully the extra weight doesn't slow his feet down for the speed rushers.
 
I dont think its true weight that he has gained, I believe they were refering to muscle mass weight, His overall weight probably has stayed close to the same. The Texans use the BodPod to accurately read body fat and muscle mass. It should not affect his feet much. We will see soon enough in July.
 
His body composition may be radically different from his last year of College but let me tell ya, there is no humanly way possible to gain 30 pounds of pure muscle mass in one “off-season”. I’m sure that Wand is likely reconfigured his weight distribution over the last year of training, but its just not possible to do something like this since December.
 
__V__ said:
I'm not sure you have to be a loudmouth to play well on the line. Many offensive linemen are quiet guys actually. For instance, Mike Munchack was very quiet and as tough as they come. I don't share your view of Wand either. He hasn't struck me as meek or soft.
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Vin I was not saying he should talk a lot. I just mean a mean streak in the form of actions on the field. Instad of blocking a guy for five yards. Block a guy for five yards drive him to the ground and lay on top. I watched Munchack and Matthews for years. While not disliked by everyone and not big talkers they were mean. They threw defensive lineman around. I can rember a few spats between childress and Matthews. They dominated from the point of attack until the play ended. They never stood around and anyone who lined up across from them found themselves on their back more often then not. O-lineman are usally some of the smartest and meanest players on the field. It takes a special kind of person to be successful in the trenchs. I was just a tight end but the few times I got down in the trenches I knew I'd much rather be catching passes or hooking the DE not s****ing with the DT.
 
gotcha ;)

If you look at linemen they are usually some of the more quiet guys on the field, but I understand what you are saying. It is just that when I saw Wand block last year I was surprised he was as good a drive blocker as he was. After reading much of they hysteria about how we reached for him and how supposedly weak he was he sure did not look like Mo Towns out there.
 
TheOgre said:
And yes, you never played on the line. You should have started and stopped with that statement...Based upon your statement you probably think you can take 5 starting linemen and plug them into any of the 5 starting slots. It amazes me that people are watching the same game as me, but only seeing a fraction of what is going on in a game.
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See this is what happens when you try throw a little humor out there! Just so you know...I have a great deal of appreciation for the big'uns. I freely admit that nothing positive will happen on either side of the ball without solid line play.
IMO LT is the 2nd toughest position to play...again based on my expierence (much like how you are probably basing your observations on your background) I believe that CB is toughest spot. In reality I see a lot of similarity, particularly on the mental side of the equation, between the two positions.
:fight:
 
Mistril48 said:
Terrific. The crack head calls out to the guy who inevitably has twice the wunderlic score (although I confess I didn't bother to try and find out MI's), implying his work is easy ...

The only position that has wunderlic scores like OL is the QB.

Maybe it's not as easy as it looks.
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I would reckon that's just Irving in his own particulary way saying whoever has the starting job just needs to take care of business. BTW...I am not particularly an Irving fan either.

You might also be surprised to know that Wonderlic scores are all over the board for most positions...point taken that QB's and OL do tend to have higher average scores...but so do safety's and kickers. Heck, I was a 3rd receiver and scored 37, not the best, but pretty respectable. ;)
 
__V__ said:
gotcha ;)

If you look at linemen they are usually some of the more quiet guys on the field, but I understand what you are saying. It is just that when I saw Wand block last year I was surprised he was as good a drive blocker as he was. After reading much of they hysteria about how we reached for him and how supposedly weak he was he sure did not look like Mo Towns out there.
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Vin,
I watched Wand through out his college carrer. My brother in law graduated the same year as he did from northwest. My inlaws are from Missouri and I went to college in that area. I was surprised he was drafted by the Texans. Anyway in College he dominated everyone he played against. Granted the level of competition was not as good as D1 but he has always had the talent. His drive blocking in college was outstanding. His technique was what was lacking. The problem was no one challenged him. His whole team was outstanding I believe they won the National championship 3 out of 4 years he was there. Other teams could not simply stack his side of the defense and wait for the ball. He played against lesser talent and developed bad Habits. That could be seen last year when they lined him up at tight end. Once locked on he could drive just about anyone off the ball. However when a defender took a quick step inside to fill the Gap he missed the block a couple of times. There were a couple of goal line situations last year when that happened. Hopefully a year of working with superior coaches and against superior talent has helped him to break bad habits and if so I believe he can be one heck of a lineman.
 
J-Man said:
See this is what happens when you try throw a little humor out there! Just so you know...I have a great deal of appreciation for the big'uns. I freely admit that nothing positive will happen on either side of the ball without solid line play.
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Okay. I didn't get that you were trying to be funny. It is hard to pick up the sarcasm and humor sometimes on the internet.

:goodbad:
 
__V__ said:
His body composition may be radically different from his last year of College but let me tell ya, there is no humanly way possible to gain 30 pounds of pure muscle mass in one “off-season”. I’m sure that Wand is likely reconfigured his weight distribution over the last year of training, but its just not possible to do something like this since December.
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By 'last year' I'm guessing they mean a year ago not last season. 30lbs of muscle is a lot, but keep in mind that the guy is 6'7 325 so there's some proportions to take into account, sounds a lot more reasonable if you describe it as cutting body fat by 9%. He also hadn't spent much time in the weight room at all during his college career (hence the 20 reps on the bench at the combine.) A full year in a NFL quality strength program is exactly what wand needed and it sounds like he took advantage of it. IF wand starts I'm fully prepared to deal with some growing pains in 2004, but I think the upgrade at LG will balance out the equation.

I think that the plans to let babin, wand, and robinson start, as well as the coleman move shows that management is looking to build a winning franchise not just a playoff team
 
I read on espn today that Seth Wand the LT project the Texans drafted last year in the third round has been inserted at LT and Pitts moved to LG. The coaches are happy with his progress and feel at this time putting him at LT puts the best 5 O-linemen on the field. I hope this actually works out and the guy becomes a solid starter. He is huge but he would be a great find if the Texans can polish him. Its good to see one of the O-line draft picks working out.
 
J-man, the move of Wand to LT and Pitts to LG, if successful, opens up Palmer's play book. All of it. Being a fromer pretty boy, you should know what that means. Pitts moving around the corner with DD behind him on a counter would be home run territory. Pitts on the edge in front of a screen play would wreak havoc on defenses. Pitts is a very good athelete who blocks well in space. He did not have the optimum foot speed to be a dominate LT. But, the fact that he Made the move from LG to LT out of college and did a better than servicable jop, tells me that he could be an awesome LG. He could be an all pro Left gaurd. We'll see. So if some of us are a little pumped over the move, forgive us.
JMHO, you would be wise to take anything Irving says with a grain of salt.
 
threetoedpete said:
Pitts is a very good athelete who blocks well in space. He did not have the optimum foot speed to be a dominate LT. But, the fact that he Made the move from LG to LT out of college and did a better than servicable jop, tells me that he could be an awesome LG. He could be an all pro Left gaurd. We'll see. So if some of us are a little pumped over the move, forgive us.
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If I'm not mistaken (and I may be, I frequently find I am) Pitts was a LT in college but was projected to play G for the Texans. He only got the LT job when Boss couldn't go. Pitts grew into it but it was the position he played in college. The transition will be to G and I think he'll make a great one.
 
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